ANCA Condemns Clinton’s Complicity in Genocide Denial

Secretary of State Dismisses Genocide as ‘Historical Debate’ in Public Comments to State Department Staff

WASHINGTON, DC–The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) sharply criticized remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who on Jan. 26 dismissed the murder of 1.5 million Armenians as a “historical debate,” and argued that U.S. affirmation of this crime would open a “dangerous door.”

“It’s a sad spectacle to see Secretary Clinton hiding behind cynical appeals to scholars–the overwhelming majority of whom have already spoken forcefully against Turkey’s denials of the Armenian Genocide–to divert attention from President Obama’s, Vice President Biden’s, or her own promises to properly recognize this crime and, more broadly, to divert attention from the White House’s failure to meet its moral obligation to stand up against a foreign government’s veto of our defense of human rights,” Hamparian said.

Clinton’s comments came in response to a question, posed at a Jan. 26 “Town Hall Meeting on the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review,” regarding U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide in the context of the recent French Senate adoption of anti-genocide denial legislation.

Clinton explained, “I think it’s fair to say that this has always been viewed, and I think properly so, as a matter of historical debate and conclusions rather than political. And I think that is the right posture for the United States government to be in, because whatever the terrible event might be or the high emotions that it represents, to try to use government power to resolve historical issues, I think, opens a door that is a very dangerous one to go through.” Clinton argued, “we need to encourage anyone on any side of any contentious historical debate to get out into the marketplace of ideas.”

“The Secretary’s unfounded and offensive reference to ‘historical debate’ in regards to the Armenian Genocide only emboldens the denials of the Turkish government–which, just today, again took steps toward deporting Armenians,” said Hamparian, referencing news emanating from Turkey of plans for a revisions to its immigration policy that would effectively target Armenian immigrants for expulsion from the country.

Clinton: ‘As president, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide’

Clinton’s remarks are diametrically opposed to her statement issued almost four years ago, to the day, as a Senator. In this statement, she boasted that she was “alone among the presidential candidates” to have been a co-sponsor of the Armenian Genocide Resolution and pledged “as president, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.” The statement went on to stress, “Our common morality and our nation’s credibility as a voice for human rights challenge us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be recognized and remembered by the Congress and the president of the United States.”

Obama and Biden made equally clear and unequivocal statements regarding the U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide during their years in the Senate and as candidates for the White House. “America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that president,” said Obama in a Jan. 19, 2008 campaign statement. Biden explained his support for pending Armenian Genocide legislation to the LA Times Editorial Board in May 2007, as follows: “I support it, and the reason is simple: I have found in my experience that you cannot have a solid relationship with a country based on fiction. It occurred. It occurred.”

Clinton a phone call away for Turkish lobby

During her tenure as secretary of state, public records show that Clinton has discussed State Department policy on Turkey and specifically on the Armenian Genocide on several occasions with former Democratic House Minority Leader and current Turkish government lobbyist Richard Gephardt. According to the Department of Justice Foreign Agent Registration filings, Gephardt spoke to Clinton just days prior to a pending House vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution on Dec. 17, 2010, and had a series of calls with her as well as Biden, Secretary of Defense Gates, and National Security Advisor James Jones on “U.S.-Turkey relations” and “Transcaucasus relations” on the days leading up Obama’s trip to Turkey in 2009.

In September 2011, Gephardt, who supported Armenian Genocide affirmation during his years in the House, renewed a lucrative $1.3 million contract for continued representation of the government of Turkey through July, 2012. That sum includes payment to subcontracting lobby firms including Dickstein Shapiro, which has former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert on staff representing Turkey’s concerns. In December 2011, an additional $100,000 was added to the annual contract–the increase signed on the day of House approval of the “Return of Churches” resolution (H.Res.306), calling on Turkey to return thousands of confiscated Christian Churches to their rightful owners.

Clinton has not yet met with representatives of the Armenian American community, despite repeated calls by the ANCA and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for her to meet with a broad-based and representative leadership group to discuss a range of community concerns, including affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.

65 Comments on ANCA Condemns Clinton’s Complicity in Genocide Denial

Do you accept your pregnant womb to be scimitared by gendarme
Do you accept your daughter to be raped…and slayed…
Do you accept your baby to be thrown in the fire and hear roars on your face,
“Here are your lion…show your braveness…catch”*

Do you Accept …?
Do you Accept …?
Do you Accept …?
Do you want to hear more…!

“You should know…
Criminals can’t win always
They can play games after games…
But…the truth must prevail…even after decades…”

Open your eyes further, and read many times…
And open your ears to hear endless heart-breaking stories
Please…feel with us…
We are the Orphans of the ‘Genocided Populace’

Behave like ‘A Real Mother’…
Haven’t you prayed for Virgin Mary…
To give you your wishes and more sense…!
We suffered worse than Jesus and his saints…

Sovereign nations officially recognising the Armenian Genocide include:
Argentina
Armenia
Belgium
Canada
Chile
Cyprus
France
Germany (2005 Parliament Resolution[50])
Greece
Italy
Lithuania
Lebanon
Netherlands – The Second Chamber (House of Representatives) of the States General Assembly asked “the government within the framework of its dialogue with Turkey to continuously and expressly raise the recognition of the Armenian genocide”
Poland
Russia
Slovakia
Sweden
Switzerland
Uruguay
Vatican City
Venezuela
Regional governments
Regions or provinces recognising the Armenian Genocide include:
Spain
Parliaments of the three regions recognised the Armenian Genocide:
Basque Country
Catalonia
Balearic Islands
Australia
New South Wales: In 2007 the Parliament of the State of New South Wales passed a motion condemning the genocide and called on the Australian Federal Government to do the same,
South Australia: In March 2009 the Parliament of South Australia passed a similar motion to that passed in New South Wales in 2007.
Other
Crimea, Ukraine: The Supreme Council of Crimea recognised the Armenian Genocide.
Quebec, Canada: First, in 2001, the Canadian province of Quebec independently of its federal government, then, in 2004, the government of Canada itself recognised the Armenian Genocide.
São Paulo, Brazil: the State Assembly recognized and commemorated the genocide in 2003.
Ceará, Brazil: the Legislative Council of State of Ceara recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2006

United States: 43 US states have recognized the Armenian Genocide; as of May 2011 this includes every state in the Union with the exception of Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia, Indiana, Iowa, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Kurdish position
Further information: Kurdish recognition of the Armenian genocide
There is also a movement of Kurdish recognition of the killings as genocide. Kurds played a major role in the Armenian Genocide, as they were the primary tool used by the Ottoman authorities to carry out the killings.[75] Many modern Kurds acknowledge the killings and apologize in the name of their ancestors who committed atrocities toward Armenians and Assyrians in the name of the Ottoman Empire.
Position of France

What is really disgusting is her comment that “People are just so incredibly passionate” about this… I have to ask, would she say this in a room full of Jews speaking about the recognition of the Holocaust??

It’s one thing to say there is debate about a political issue as if it’s just about opinion… but about GENOCIDE? What on earth does she think she is talking about?? Since when does Genocide (anywhere, anyplace, any time) not call for recognition — especially when a body like the International Association of Genocide Scholars keeps recommending and arguing for official recognition?

This woman thinks mass murder is just about an opinion — or worse, a town hall debate.

Jerry jan .. she is another heartless human being who has not brain and courage of her own.. she is another weak soul who ill be hated for a long time…UNLESS she does the right thing and follow suit to what SHE PROMISED BEFORE she got into her cozy chair as the Secretary of State…

Israel moved closer to officially recognizing the genocide in 2011 when the Knesset held its first open discussion on the matter. By a unanimous vote of 20-0, Israel’s Parliament approved referring the subject to the Education Committee for more extensive deliberation.Israel’s Speaker of Knesset told an Israel-based Armenian action committee that he intends to introduce an annual parliamentary session to mark the Armenian Genocide.

Azerbaijan, being in deep strategic alliance with Turkey and in a state of war against Armenia, shares the position of Turkey. The Ukrainian town Izyum recognised the killings as genocide on New Year’s Eve 2009 but after lobbying by the Azerbaijani community of Crimea, their City Council canceled that decision on April 1, 2010. This is the first case in the world when the decision on a recognition was cancelled.

Denmark and Israel believe that the genocide recognition should be discussed by historians not politicians.

There was a move by activists in Bulgaria to acknowledge the genocide, but it was voted down. Shortly after the decision of the parliament several of the biggest municipalities in Bulgaria accepted a resolution for recognising the genocide. The resolution was first passed in Plovdiv followed by Burgas, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Pazardzhik and others.

There is no historical debate about the genocide. It is a fact confirmed by history. The debate exists only as a political phenomenon and Mrs. Clinton has shown herself to be a political pawn and a person of weak moral and intellectual caliber. But she is not alone among those who pander for votes or fame or money.

The acceptance of a genocide as fact shouldn’t be a commodity to be traded for political gain, but the world we live in is far from perfect. Our societies are a reflection of the standards we hold ourselves and others to. WE all should do some soul searching.

I wonder iif these same US politician would be okay to think and discuss the American Indian and the slavery trade history in the same way that they discuss and look upon the armenian genocide. you know it was a hundred years ago so why bring it up , so was slavery and the massacre of the native Indian culture in this country , why bring it up or is it a historic debate or a political debate. the truth at the end of all is $$$ in the politicians hands.the US is no better then any 3rd world country in this aspect.
somehow turkey has convinced the US that we need them in the mid east, just like we needed their airports to attack Iraq from the northern part of that country, and the price for the Turkish airport rental ! 6 billion, which turkey at some point soon after denied access and they also did not refund the money. this is the ally relations that the US has with Turkey.

With a president who has made his personal feelings well known, I will give the secretary of state the benefit of the doubt that she was having a very off day in conjunction with announcing her imminent retirement due to exhaustion.

If this is so, I suspect that her spokesman will issue some kind of supplemental or corrective statements. An alternative reason for her to correct her statement would be a plan to run for office, as many speculate she will do.

I have a vague recollection that she has supported recognition of the Armenian genocide by the government, both as a senator, and as a private person.

Or maybe Bill has an Armenian girlfriend and she’s really pissed off.

All kidding aside, both our friends and our enemies use the recognition and justice issues as weapons to support and attack Turkey. The Jews and the Turks recognize one thing that we should also recognize: none of us have any friends other than ourselves. Recognition efforts are important because they keep the issue in front of the Turkish people, whose support we need in the interest of justice. However, we should have no illusions that any large nation has ever recognized the Armenian genocide for purely unselfish and humanitarian reasons.

As the nations of Europe and Israel become frustrated by aggressive Islam, and come together to stop the advance of Turkey throughout the middle east and southern Europe, we will hear more friendly things, but they will not signify much and they will accomplish even less.

Well, what else can you say except that politicians lie? We need to keep this in mind when one candidate after another in the run up to the next election tells us they will recognize the Armenian Genocide, if elected.

How frequent is lying in international politics? Which types of leaders lie the most, and to whom do leaders most frequently lie: other states, or their own people? Is all deception lying, or should we think of lying as distinct from other sorts of subterfuge, like spinning and concealment? Moreover, is lying a useful tool of statecraft? What happens when lying goes wrong? Best-selling author and leading international relations scholar John Mearsheimer takes on these questions in his new book, Why Leaders Lie: The Truth about Lying in International Politics. Please join the author and two discussants for an examination of this fascinating and under-studied topic.

She keeps repeating what the Turks are saying that it is a case of history. History has already been made by the Turkish government of 1915 to give the death sentence practically to the entire Armenian race. Now it is a case of law and nothing else. It is a case of the international law to intervene and make Turkey pay reparations to the survivors of the murdered Armenian nation. It is a case of the civilised Western hemisphere, nations such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Italy to intervene and say to Turkey to do their wrong doings of their past to make it right !!!!!

Right around the times of the Genocide of Armenians by Turkey, thanks to the US Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, the United States government knew day by day about the Genocide. It was daily written in the New York times that 300,000 were murdered in Erzeroum, 100,000 in Erzinga, 250,000 in Kharpert, 150,000 in Moush, and so forth, and through Morgenthau they knew that it was premeditated by the Red Talaat Pasha and the CUP. That’s why the wonderous President Woodraw Wilson tried to create the Wilsonian Armenia to pay us back our own lands back to us as renumeration after the Genocide as blood money, that was in the 1920’s. America then was a purely democratic country, thanks to humanitarian presidents like president Woodraw Wilson. It is in the past 20-30 years that the newly elected presidents, with the exception of president Ronald Raegan, that are playing all sorts of bad political games not to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Israelites fared stronger and mightier than us, through the United Kingdom and the United States and got their apology and renumeration from Germany almost right away.

It is also within the past 30 years that both ANCA was created as well as the very respectable and the elite historians (made up of Armenians and non-Armenians) to present to the world the veracity of the Armenian Genocide. And unfortunately it is during this period of time that the United States and the United Kingdom have been cold-hearted and crude towards the memory of our befallen murdered martyrs and towards all of us Armenians. One of these days they must come down from their high chair and playing politics with Turkey and accept the Armenian Genocide.

Dear Darwin, It is known that the United Kingdom politically leads the United States. It is not in their interest to accept the Armenian Genocide for a few reasons. Firstly they keep saying that the US needs Turkish lands especially at the times when they invaded Iraq. Plus for a 100 years now they say that they need the Turks and their lands, because of the cold war times against Russia. Simply because after Turkey colonized both Armenia and Byzantium, they own all of our lands and are the stronger nation with all the huge lands in the region and right next door to Russia. The Turks have been allocating and bribing the American congressmen and senators not to pass the Armenian Genocide Bill for years now. On top of that, they are continuously threatening everyone in every which way they can and they are scaring pretty much most politicians to have it exactly their way. Throwing tantrums and such. It’s just simply a despecable situation. I call it political corruptness in it’s worse way and scenario.

You analyzed very well…your letter should go congress …
Do you know that they can’t cheat Arab countries…because they know them well…
Specially Iraqi people
Americans they don’t know where is Turkey…
Now they are learning through the internet…and ipads…
God bless steven Jobs to educate them…

kudos to Sylva Md Poetry.You have compiled usefull information as to countries and States (within States) that have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide
We Armenians should not worry too much about getting the rest of the worlkd to do so(as of januayr 23rd,2012,since an important wrold `power has passed a Law that punishes denial of same.
Instead I suggest we re organize ourselves in order to be able to cope with our internal problems8ESPECIALLY THOSE OF eXODUS OF aRMENIANS FROM ARMENIA…
tHOUGH DAY IN DAY OUT i AM GLUED TO 5 aRMENIAN t.V. CHANNELS READ MANY AN ARMENIAN WEB SITE AND READ WEEKLIES FROM L.A. AND BOSTON…I DO NOT SEE ONE , YES ONE PERSON THAT CRAZY ME

ADVOCATES RE ORGANIZATION OF OUR OWN IN dIASPORA…
BRINGING INTO CREATION THE FUND THE NATIONAL INVETMENT TRUST FUND A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR ONE IN SWITZSERLAND , GET OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG TO PARTICIPATE IN ORGANIZING A ……………….
R E P A T R I A T I O N WITH THE FUNDS INVESTMENT AS LOANS TO THOSE WHO WISH TO GO AND BEGIN LIFE ANEW IN ARMENIA ARTSAKH.
TO EXPECT THAT ARMENIA DO THAT IS TANTAMOUNT TO EXPECT THAT THEY LOAN US MONEY.THEY WON´T EVEN SEND US BOOIKS(JUST BEGINNING TRICKLES OF SAME…)
tHEY ARE LIKE PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST COME OUT OF JAIL AND HIT A JACKPOT AND HAVE MONEY WITH WHICH THEY CAN BUY GOOD CRAS, HOUSES, DO THIS DO THAT TRAVEL.THEY ARE LOOKING FOR GOOD THINGS ,CARELESS OF THEIR OTHER BRETHREN WHO ARE IN VERY UN ENVIABLE SITUATIONS…P OOOOR VERY POOOR.
sO LET US GET GOING ENOUGH JUST AFTER GENOCIDE RECOGNITION-GREAT TURKEY IS NOT GEERMANY TO PAYU US COMPENSATION.IF ANYONE THINKS THAT IS POSSIBLE
IS D E A D W R O N G.THEYLOOT THEY RECEIVE BAKHSHISH MONEY THAT IS EASY TO GET AND ENJOY LIFE ABROAD(THEIR THIEVES OF GOVT. EXEC.S SO PLEASE THINK VERY CAREFULLY AND TWICE!!!
wE MUST ORGANIZE THE REPATRIATION AND REPOPULATION OF aRMENIA AND ALSO BY AND BY THUS RE ENTER INTO FABRIC OF THE COUNTRY AND GOVT. THERE. WHILE THE PRESENT NEWLY RICH THERE LEAVE….
THINK OVER IT AND TRY TO COMPREHEND ME.
HERE TALKING TO TURKS AND AZERIS WOIN´ÑT GET US ANYWHERE.!!!
I SHALL NOT POST HERE MORE SUCH AND ENGAGE MYSSELF IN DIALOGUE WITH EITHER TURKS OR EVEN -UNFORTUNATELY-ARMENIANS BECAUSE IT IS A WASTE OF TIME..INSTAD I SHALL WRITE MY ARTICLES AND PLEACE THEM ON…..SITE OFhttp://www.armeniannews.info
best regds to all
g.p

Dear Gaytzag,
This is an excellent idea!! Beside Armenia Fund we should be able open, few other private category funds, that directly can create job, and compete against those oligarchy business, and help Armenia’s export, where ordinary citizens are leaving the country, just for economy reason!!

Dear friends:
I feel the anger and disappointment expressed in the comments posted here and I share them. But let us look at the issue dispasionately. What did you expect? How many times have various US officials, particularly those in the State Department, repeated the same mantra claiming some supranatural wisdom and ability to see the world in a different context, even though they were wrong every single time? Each and every presidential hopeful has betrayed his/her promise to the Armenian community and found refuge behind claims of larger national interests and objectives to backtrack .Mrs. Hilary Clinton is no different. While ANCA is doing great work on behalf of Armenians in USA, we all know they have limited resources and limited reach. More Armenians vie for and reach the upper echelons of the US government, all domaines of influence in public and private life , the better our voice will be heard. I often hear from my friends , whether they are called Keith, Fred or Martha, who invariably question me about our motives and objectives and tell me : why are you bothering the American government with your problems with Turkey ? Why are you working so hard to poison our relations with an ally? So no matter how logical and rational my answers are , theirs is an attitude of “OK, we understand , but then what”? Essentially , the larger public is still unaware and ignorant of ALL the interelated aspects of the Armenian Genocide and as such they do not have either the inclination or the interest to participate in the larger debate and thus influence the attitude of US government officials. The great thing the Armenians in France have done was a) to get together and form a single body to pursue the Armenian cause; b) they have comparatively speaking come to occupy a larger role in the French national life ; c) they have used all the networks they have established with political parties to manage the debate. By giving this example I do not have the intention to belittle our efforts here, but to suggest a different approach given the roadblocks we encounter.

Armenian Genocide deniers no longer have a leg to stand on with the appearance of Vahakn Dadrian’s and Taner Akcam’s book “Judgment at Istanbul: The Armenian Genocide Trials” (Zoryan Institute, 2011). This book, previously published *in Turkish in Turkey*, (Bilgi University Press, 2008, 2010) offers irrefutable evidence that the so-called massacres of Armenians in 1915 were in fact a genocide. The two authors are the world’s leading experts on the Armenian Genocide. They have carefully studied the Ottoman Turkish documents which clearly indicate that the “massacres” were a genocide (i.e., according to the New American Heritage Dictionary, a “systematic and planned extermination of an entire national…or…. ethnic group.”). The cynical, fatuous Turkish party line about letting the historians debate the issue so that the current Turkish leadership can avoid admitting the responsibility for their forebears’ (i.e. the Ottoman leadership’s ) crimes has ironically all the more undermined their genocide denial.. These two distinguished historians have not only discussed the evidence but also have *proven* the fact of the Armenian Genocide. Perhaps the Zoryan Institute should mail a copy of this superb book to Hillary Clinton and all of her ilk in the immoral American government. Of course, it would be a safe bet that these cowardly people would not deign to read the book because it calls into question the morality of their ideas relative to Realpolitik.

Prof. Even if we found some rare footage of Armenians being killed and Talaat actually signing orders , they would still deny it. Genocide recognition it seems isn’t factual, its totally political and strategical.. The sick irony is that the US apparently has “Something to lose” by recognizing the genocide… Talaat’s own memoirs were recently published in which he kept accurate Armenian death totals as they were happening. This story was published in the New York Times a few years back.. and so what difference did it make? None.

Dear friend Sylva-md-poet, I thank you and feel the same sentiments towards you. You are in fact absolutely right that the Arabs know it only too well, but most Americans as you put it don’t even know geographically where Turkey or other parts of the world is, much less the history of said countries. Yes the internet hopefully will better educate them.

Armenians have to figure out a way that political figures, such as the secretary of state/ the president etc.. will have a lot to lose BY NOT RECOGNIZING the genocide..asking them to “do the right thing” so far hasn’t worked..apparently for them, doing the right thing as been to deny the genocide..

hilary advises us to “….. get out into the marketplace of ideas.”
It would appear that genocide is just a shopping expedition for her. Hilary has proven to be a “stand by your man,” kind of girl, no matter how much of a two-faced liar her man is. This time, her man is her boss. Remember this tribe when you go to the voting polls.

Ms. Rodham Clinton will be gone in January 2013, irregardless of whether Obama or Romney wins the upcoming election. Who will Obama replace her with if he wins? She is saying this because the US needs to be on Turkish soil right now to deal with Iran. A secular regime in Tehran will open up possibilities for US Genocide recognition. Europe now understands that the Genocide is not a historical issue because Hrant Dink and an Armenian soldier in the Turkish army have recently been killed in cold blood. If Romney wins he may appoint John Huntsman Secretary of State. Armenians know how helpful the Huntsman family has been to Armenians. I am an active and dedicated Democrat, but do not support her or President Obama on this issue.

Our Armenians should contact this man,
John Mearsheimer instead going alone in circles…
For me it is worse than not paying taxes should be punished for their lie…
Why they are neglected are they the sons of Gods …
Or they can rule us thinking that we simple kind illiterate…
Because we don’t cary scimitars… thus we can’t scimitar-ate…

His book “Why Leaders Lie”

John J. Mearsheimer (born December 1947) is an American professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. He is an international relations theorist. Known for his book on offensive realism, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, more recently Mearsheimer has attracted attention for co-authoring and publishing the article The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, which was subsequently published as a book, becoming a New York Times Best Seller. His most recent book, entitled Why Leaders Lie: The Truth About Lying in International Politics, “catalogs the kinds of lies nations tell each other.”[1] According to an interview with Mearsheimer in The Boston Globe, the lesson of the book is: “Lie selectively, lie well, and ultimately be good at what you do.”[2]

Perouz (great name), in the “market place of ideas” Hillary’s is a “discontinued model” or as actor Jack Nicholson once said to an annoying waitress; “Don’t try to sell “crazy”, we’re all “stocked-up” around here”.
Thank you Prof. Krikor for your definitive explanation but you forgot to add something at the end; “Case Closed-Guilty as Charged”

So we continue to hear comments from Turkey and its puppets in the U.S. Government suggesting that the Armenian Genocide is a subject for historians to study. The world already knows that the Genocide has been studied and proven as fact. The world also knows that Obama, his Vice-President Biden, and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have all broken their pre-election promises to correctly characterize the murders of 1-1/2 million Armenians as GENOCIDE. Of course Turkey and other criminal nations want historians to re-study history hoping the Turkish lies will eventually be accepted in place of the truth. Wake up Turkey. You can’t keep living this fantasy. Your denial have been and will continue to keep your country from becoming part of the civilized world. The longer Turkey takes to admit the truth, the higher the price Turkey will pay for its lies and its crimes.

I think our Armenian-American compatriots should to something about their voting behaviour. It is the nth time that they voted for a presidential candidate who promised to recognize the AG only to be disappointed after they were elected to the ofiice. I don’t know exactly what they should to as I don’t live in America, but there should certainly be a way to ensure that your vote is not misused like it has been so many times.

The issue is that Republicans AND Democrats claim they will recognize the AG. At some point, you can do nothing but take their word on it. Joe Biden and Obama seemed determined to recognize it, but have since backed off. It would seem as if a good relationship with Turkey is more important than AG recognition to American politicians.

No American President will recognize the Christian Genocides. The oil and defense industries plus our reverence for Turkey and fear of Turkish faux tantrums will always outweigh truth, humanity and justice.

Can someome please give me an example of America’s attitude towards Armenia? Was it Mrs. Clinton’s glare over Nalbandyan’s shoulder while he was signing the protocols? Which American president has visited Armenia – ever?

Dave; I thank you for your comment about my name. I am honored in having this name. It came to me from a grandmother who I am told was an exceptional person. She was industrious, capable, highly intelligent, creative, a servant to Christ. Above all, she was a warm and loving mother and wife, a loyal friend to many. She was gentle with the animals in her care. I’m told she was an astonishing cook who helped grow the food for her table and put it by for winter. She scattered flower seeds for the bees that gave them honey. Her skills in spinning wool into yarn, and sewing clothing for her children were legendary. I am told that she was a happy woman, who laughed readily, loved easily, and always held out her hand in welcome. My father and grandfather grieved for her all the days of their lives. She was brutally butchered in the Armenian Genocide of 1915, as the caravan of death journeyed towards Diyarbakir. Yes, Dave, I have a very good name.

So Perouz…You are from Dikranagerd…
You described and showed the deep soul of your grandmother’s heart…
My grandmother use this word Perouz …
I think it means shiny thing…She was from the same area
So we could be related…

Read Caroline Fournet…what she said…
In my view genocide denial is not an expression, it’s a lie with a very clear political agenda if not criminal intend behind it.” Caroline Fournet, Senior researcher at the Convention on Human Rights, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Groningen, Netherlands. January 29, 2012, Sunday Edition, CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

At the end of the day.. it is in OUR OWN HANDS AS A ONE ARMENIAN NATION UNDER GOD to get stronger, united and intelligent to crash such as Turkey, US and any other govt that dares not to stand behind what is just.. It is only WITH OUR UNITED EFFORTS and becoming a valuable player in the world arena that we can get Armenia and everything our people lost. Having one country to recognize the Genocide and even a law that criminalizing denial of genocide is great but is and should not be a way for us to relax. those countries may recognize it but it is not because of their genuine and pure intentions.. there is always an agenda behind it. that is why we can ONLY rely on our strength in numbers/unity to create stronger Armenia to be able to stand and achieve whatever needs to be achieved.. just my own opinion..

Dear Seri-vart …I have heard word Severeg…is it near Mardin…?
There is a proverb about Severeg but i don’t remember…

My grand mother Zaroohi Dabaghian use to say, “that their house was near the big Church…probably near St. Geragos Cathedral in Diyarbakir…
They say Dikranegert have best Armenian girls and Marden the best boys…so combination is best…
” Dikranagerd kizlari and Maden oghlanlari”

I think we should collect all… what our granny’s said…it is a history.

I share your sentiments in its entirety from your recent post above, but it seems to me to make our country stronger, somehow in the diaspora, our organizations should strive to get-together and see that the government and the oligarchs in Hayastan either clean their acts altogether or get the heck out of there and let some more decent souls reign our country to make it flourish.

ABSOLUTELY Seervart jan.. 100% true… We need to breath, think and act as ONE BODY.. and stop division on its tracks.. we can’t have few candidates run for the same office in the same city to weaken our position because our votes gets divided and don’t provide one strong support for ONE candidate.. this way we lose..

We can’t have our own agenda’s about how the one organization should act or one branch of church should act.. they ALL SHOULD COME TOGETHER and find a common ground and what better common ground other than SAVING OUR COUNTRY and MAKING HER STRONGER..

It is such a simple thought but i don’t know why ARmenians in Diaspora is having such a hard time accomplishing…

The biggest irony of it all is the troubling fact that practically every single one of our people’s political activists, independent journalists and “rights” NGOs are under the pay role of the same empire Clinton faithfully serves. These NGOs and activists run around compiling bad occurrences in the country and then present them as power-point presentations throughout the diaspora for psychological shock effect. Their intent is to destroy the Armenian spirit and further alienate an already alienated diaspora. We desperately need the rise of Russia and China because Washington has become a pure source of evil around the world.

Because unfortunaly in the past in Diaspora, in America as well as in the Middle East there used to be unforgivable fights between Ramgavars and Tashnagtsagans, but those were in the past about 50 or so years ago. We should now leave the past in the past tense and move forward just like you said, towards a sacred cause; that is to save the Hayrenik cause. To see that our Motherland is running like a clock and especially today in Diaspora our new generation are assymilating very fast, which is greater threat for us than fighting with each other about whatever happened in the past between our respective parties. Today, there are far more important national matters that we should worry about and should stay on track as a united front.

It is very pleasing that a high degree American politician expresses her ideas without concerning about the Armenian votes unlike Sarkozy did. Universal truth is “historical events shall not be determined by the governments and supporter of an argument which is wide open to discussion should not be punished.” There is no need to dramatize the occasions, realistic people put their logic before their emotions and move accordingly. I thank you Mrs Clinton to be intellectual enough to be aware of such truths.

Ugur.. welcome. where hav you been all this time? hiding or spreading lies somewhere else??

does not matter.. your stand as a denialist will never change… but here is a revelation sir…

Mrs Clinton is not intellectual enough because she spoke those words.. she is very UN-intellectual enough to fall into the trap of Turkey’s web of lies, manipluations and threats.. you think she said those words because she is intelligent to know the truth?? She is very intelligent in a sense she KNOWS the truth but she REFUSES to stand what she said before she got elected in her cozy comfy govt seat.. now you see the difference? so before you gloat about a woman who does not separate justice from her fear of losing face and to who?? devil Turkish govt herself, she decided to sell her soul to the devil.. it is unfortunate for her and for you…

Ugur, What truth?????
Mrs. Hilary Clinton is a liar. She spoke the ultimate truth about the Armenian Genocide that she will honor it and say it worldwide before she was elected, TO GET ARMENIAN VOTES, but the minute she became Secretary of State, the same as Obama, she talked against it. Mrs. Clinton is a liar of truths and in order to get Armenian votes only then she spoke the truth about the Armenian Genocide. So if I were you, I won’t be praising Mrs. Clinton.

Then it is worth considering that Armenian diaspora should quit the policy of creating laws about historical issues so as to not to be used and thrown away by the politicians after they get the position they want.
Truth is lying inside the historical documents, if you dare to accept the Turkish side’s proposal and decide to open all available archieves in front of an international committee, then everyone will be able to see “universally accepted truth” and actually then it is not going to be politician’s bussiness whether to pass such a free speech devastating law. This way, you will not be deceived by the politicians for your votes, if you agree that Sarkozy and Clinton have cared about the same. I congratulated Clinton this time, because she wisely expressed the truth, not because of its personality.

Ugur… until YOUR GOVT brings back ALL BURNED AND DESTROYED ARCHIVES ON THE GENOCIDE.. your govt will get rat’s you know what..

Your so called “lets have a historical debate” is as idiotic as when you tell the world Turks were ont his planet before Armenians (it must be very beneficial to se other’s culture/history/artifacts/music and everything else to make your own)…but the world knows the truth.. i just don’t get WHY the world (not all) turn a blind on on this matter..

but don’t you worry.. it will happen..that is when people like you won’t speak such words as free speech and truth in the context of a denialist mind.. but you will speak those words as a human being who has a heart, brain and conscious of your own.. that is just my hope.. whether it will happen or not it is a mystery because denialists are usually stuck in their own messed up worlds.. who knows???

Ugur
shake your head. Try reading instead of day dreaming in a makebelieve world. If you have difficulty understanding the mountains of written research and acknowledged history, go shopping with your girlfriend Hilary in the Turkish Bazaar, that “marketplace of ideas” where you can lunch on politicaly motivated, pre-digested garbage. It’s set up with stalls of story books suitable for the gullible.
Or try to actually know what you are talking about. Read what Prof Emeritus Krikor wrote above:
“Armenian Genocide deniers no longer have a leg to stand on with the appearance of Vahakn Dadrian’s and Taner Akcam’s book “Judgment at Istanbul: The Armenian Genocide Trials” (Zoryan Institute, 2011). This book, previously published *in Turkish in Turkey*, (Bilgi University Press, 2008, 2010) offers irrefutable evidence that the so-called massacres of Armenians in 1915 were in fact a genocide. The two authors are the world’s leading experts on the Armenian Genocide. They have carefully studied the Ottoman Turkish documents which clearly indicate that the “massacres” were a genocide (i.e., according to the New American Heritage Dictionary, a “systematic and planned extermination of an entire national…or…. ethnic group.”).The cynical, fatuous Turkish party line about letting the historians debate the issue so that the current Turkish leadership can avoid admitting the responsibility for their forebears’ (i.e. the Ottoman leadership’s ) crimes has ironically all the more undermined their genocide denial.. These two distinguished historians have not only discussed the evidence but also have *proven* the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

Ugur is another denialist who does not know how else to cry foul of what his govt is doing and what his people did… of course he is denying it…. he knows his ancestors did commit the Genocide but because Turkey destroyed most of the archives, he feels very confident that if and when the so called historical debate takes place, Turkey has a clean hand and will have the leverage to bribe or threaten all those who will speak against it… they know exactly what they are doing…